Dispenser for finely divided materials



Aug. 28, 1956 G. H. PACKWOOD, JR 2,7

DISPENSER FOR FINELY DIVIDED MATERIALS Filed March 19, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 28, 1956 a. H. PACKWOOD, JR 2,760,688

DISPENSER FOR FINELY DIVIDED MATERIALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 $2,, .7 i5 1L==== -EWWWII... llr

Filed March 19. 1951 Aug. 28, 1956 e. H. PACKWOOD, JR 2,760,

DISPENSER FOR FINELY DIVIDED MATERIALS Filed March 19 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 3 DISPENSER FOR FINELY DIVIDED MATERIALS George H.Packwood, Jr., St. Louis, Mo. Appiicati-on March 19, 1951, Serial No.216,415

11 Claims. (Cl. 222-181) The present invention relates to a dispenser,and more particularly to a dispenser for finely divided materials. Oneof the especial uses of the present dispenser is for use with powderedsoap, which product presents a number of peculiar problems, many of themrevolving around the fact that it is hygroscopic and tends toagglomerate or to form masses that render its dispensing diificult.

Another of the problems in connection with dispensing materials of thekind here under consideration is the cost and time required for chargingdispensers with the material to be dispensed. The applicant hasheretofore proposed the use of a disepenser base and disposable cartoncombination in which the carton that contains the soap as delivered fromthe manufacturer may, by a simple tear-away operation, be installed on adispenser base at point of use so as to become the bowl or reservoir forthe material to be dispensed.

The present invention proposes improvements over the foregoing one whichmay be found in copending application Serial No. 137,391, filed January7, 1950, by the present inventor.

In the present dispenser, there is a base that is to be mounted on awall in a way that will be described. This base self-contains a meteringdischarge valve means that controls the discharge of the material to bedispensed. The base also has a receiving arrangement that isparticularly designed to cooperate with a disposable carton so that thecarton can be mounted on the base and can become then the primaryreservoir for the material to be dispensed, as a part of the dispenseritself. The resent arrangement has a superior valve arrangement andsuperior means for mounting the carton on the base, whereby a greaterstability can be obtained for the carton, and whereby the constructionof the carton itself can be simplified, and yet an adequate and properdispensing of soap be obtained. Also, there is an improved method ofsecuring the carton in place on the base, so that it cannot be removedby unauthorized persons.

Another feature of the present invention is its adaptability tomanufacture of the base largely out of plastic materials or else out ofother materials.

Other advantages and improvements in the present construction willappear from the detailed description to follow, together with thedrawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the dispenser shown as mounted upon awall or other suitable supporting structure;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the dispenser shown in in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the dispenser;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section looking downward taken on the 'line 44at the upper part of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side-to-side vertical section of the lower part of thedispenser, taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical section from front to rear of the States atcntlower part of the dispenser, taken on the vertical line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmental vertical section of the lower part of thedispenser, taken on the line 77 at the 1:30 oclock position of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the base of the dispenser with the valveparts removed;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view through the supporting bracketportion of the base taken on the line 9 across the top of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a similar section through the dispenser at the back of thecarton receiving portion, taken on the line 1il-l;ti across the upperpart of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a back elevation of the dispenser base, showing part of thesupporting bracket construction;

Figure 12 is a vertical medial section through an insert used to formpart of the bracket when the same is made of plastic material;

Figure 13 is a rear elevation of a bracket-supporting disc;

Figure 14 is a plan view of the meter cover or guard plate;

Figure 15 is a bottom plan view of the agitator plate which is part ofthe metering device;

Figure 16 is a plan view of the fixed metering plate of the meteringdevice;

Figure 17 is a View of an attaching lock screw for holding the cartonportion in place;

Figure 18 is a view partly in section of a key for operating the lockingelement;

Figure 19 is a developed view of a carton suitable to act as a portionof the dispenser;

Figure 20 is a side elevation of the carton before it is prepared forinstallation on the base;

Figure 21 is a transverse section through the carton taken on the line2121 of Figure 20; and

Figure 22 is a side elevation of the carton of Figure 21 after it hasbeen prepared for installation on the base.

Generally speaking, the dispenser of the present invention consists of ahollow, material receiving base 30, having an integral attachmentbracket portion 31, and a reservoir 32 for material to be dispensed,here shown in the form of a carton or other like container. As willappear, a nondisposable reservoir of similar contour may be used, but atthe sacrifice of the ready ability to recharge the dispenser.

The carton is square in cross section, although this shape may of coursebe varied. It fits into the base and is attached to the base in suchmanner as to cause its contents to fall by gravity into the base. Withinthe base, there is a manually operable metering discharge device whichis used for dispensing the material through an opening in the bottom ofthe base. The drawings will show that in the operating position thecarton is inverted and the total dispenser consisting of the base andcarton is vertically disposed with the metering device at its lowerpart.

The base 30 is here illustrated as being formed of molded material, suchas one of the conventional plastics. It will be understod by aconsideration of the shape that it may be made of other materials, anddie-casting is a particularly convenient method of making the base.Where the plastic material is used, an insert to be described isprovided to give the proper strength.

The bracket portion 31 extends backwardly from the main portion of thebase 3%, and is an integral part of the base. The bracket portion 31 isrecessed, and in the illustrated plastic embodiment it includes a metalinsert 321, of which a cross section is shown in Figure 12. This insertaffords strength and also includes means that cooperate in theattachment of the dispenser to a bracket or awall.

The attaching means has portions fiXed to the wall. There is hereillustrated a metal plate 33 screwed to the wall and offset somewhatfrom the wall in its main portion. The middle of the plate 33 has adepressed portion 34 to whicha metal disc 35 is bolted. The disc 35 isundercut around its periphery as is illustrated in Figures 6 and 13.This undercut or beveled edge has two relatively wide cut-outs 36 onopposite sides of its upper mid-por tion, and two smaller cut-outs 37 onopposite sides of its lower mid-portion. A notch 38 is located at thebottom of the edge of the disc. The bracket 31 has means cooperatingwith the undercut edge of the disc 35. The top of the bracket 31 andparticularly the insert 321, as shown in Figures 6, l1 and 12, has atits top two depending undercnt prongs 39 that fit over the oppositelyundercut edge of the disc 35. Opposite the prongs 39, there is a lockscrew 40 that passes through a hole 41 in the insert 321 and engages inthe notch 38 in the bottom of the disc 35. The screw 40 is pointed atits end so that it will fit against the undercut on the disc 35 in thenotch 38.

At ninety degrees from the prongs 39 and the screw 49, there areabutment arms 42 formed on the insert. Each arm 42 has a stepped end,providing an inwardly facing surface 43 and a shoulder 44. Figure 11shows, by the dashed lines representing the disc 33, that the disc iscontained between the surfaces 43, to give lateral stability to thesupport. Figure 6 shows that the shoulders 44 can abut the outer surfaceof the disc 33 at its edge, to limit the backward movement of thedispenser bracket toward the wall, and improve stability. Similarshoulders 45 are formed on the vertical arms of the insert 321. It isadvantageous to have these parts formed of stable material, such as themetal of the insert 321.

It will be understood that, where the material from which the dispenserbase 30 is made is metal or otherwise adequately strong, the insert isnot required, and the elements of the insert that are employed in theattaching means are integrally formed with the dispenser base 30 itself.

It will be observed that, when the screw 40 is loosened slightly, thedispenser may be rotated on the disc 35 without removal of it from thewall. If the screw 40 is further withdrawn, the dispenser bracket may berotated to the right or left until the prongs 39 fit into a notch 36 andthe screw 40 fits into a notch 37, whereupon the bracket may be entirelyremoved from the wall. Below the lower shoulder 45, the bracket and theinsert are cut back so that this removal can be readily performed.

The dispenser base 30 preferably has converging bottom walls that have adischarge outlet 46 at the bottom thereof. As will be understood, thematerial to be dispensed is contained in the dispenser above thisorifice, and is metered for discharge through the outlet 46. Thedispenser part of the base 30 is hollow, and in the embodiment shown ithas a plurality of difierent superposed shapes. Its upper part isnon-circular, being shown as square in cross section, as indicated bythe square front wall 48, the side wall 49, back wall 50 and side wall51.

Below the square portion, there is a lofted pyramidal section havingfour sloping sides 54, 55, 56 and 57. The pyramidal section isintersected by 'a coaxial cylindrical portion 60, and the former ismodified to merge smoothly into the latter. The lower part of thecylindrical section 60 has a slight shoulder to aid in supporting themetering parts, as will appear. The cylindrical section 60 also has fourrecesses 61 that radiate outwardly from it into the pyramidal portionsof the base for a purpose to be described.

Below the shoulder at the bottom of the cylindrical portion, the wallsconverge inwardly at 62 in an inverted frusto-cone, and provide theoutlet orifice 46.

The metering or discharge device of the dispenser includes a fixed meterplate 63. This meter plate is circular so as to fit within the circularportion 60 and rest on the shoulder at the bottom thereof; and it hasfour radiating lugs '64 that fit into the recesses 61 in the base. Asshown in Figures 3 and 7, screws 65 engage through the base by holes 66to hold the fixed metering plate 63 in position. Figure 7 shows alsothat the lugs 64 are contoured to the shape of the adjacent walls of thepyramidal portion of the base.

The metering plate has a plurality of arcuately arranged holes 70 aroundits edge, for a purpose to be described. The metering plate also has acenter sleeve 69 upstanding from it.

An agitator plate 71 has a center hub 72 that extends downwardly to bearin the sleeve 69. The lower end of the hub 72 has a square section 73below which is a threaded portion 74. The square section and threadedsection are below the surface of the metering plate 63.

The agitator plate has a central domed section 76 with a peripheral edge77. The edge is disposed immediately above the edge of the meteringplate 63 at the area of the holes 70 through the latter. There are aplurality of arcuately disposed holes 78 around this peripheral flange77 of the agitator plate.

Below the metering plate 63, there is a guard plate 82. This guard platehas a shift central hub 83 with a square opening to fit over the squaredportion 73 of the hub portion of the agitator plate 71, so that the twomay oscillate together. The edge of the guard plate is provided with aplurality of notches 84.

Mounted on the squared portion 73 below the guard plate 82 is anoperating handle 85. The handle has a squared hub portion that fits overthe squared hub 73 on the agitator plate, and is held thereon by a nutand lock nut combination '86, so that the agitator plate, the guardplate and the handle may oscillate together. The handle 85 extendslaterally below the guard plate, and passes through a slot 87 in theinverted conical portion 62 of the base. Afinger piece 90 is formed onthe end of the handle 85 so that these parts may be oscillated.

The reservoir of the material to be dispensed is removable from the base30, and is here shown in the form of a disposable carton 32, although itwill be understood that this is subject to change where a permanent bowladjunct for containing material is required. There are distinctadvantages to the use of a disposable carton, as will appear.

The present invention provides for a carton that has certaincharacteristics shown in the drawings. A blank for the carton appears inFigure 19, and it is fairly apparent how the parts are folded togetherand secured by an overlapping glue flap 95. The carton has a window 96closed by transparent material.

The lower end flaps 97, 98, 99 and 100 are all scored as shown at 101.Also, the glue flap 95 receives the same scoring. The panel adjacent theend flap 97 has an additional knock-out finger plug 102 provided byadditional scoring 103. This knock-out plug preferably has acharacterized shape of the type illustrated.

Figure 20 shows a side elevation of the carton in the condition in whichit may contain material to be dispensed, as sold for use in thedispenser. The knock-out plug 102 is in place. Figure 22 shows the sameside elevation, but with the end removed and the knock-out plug removed.

The carton is installed in the dispenser in a manner later to bedescribed, with the open end of the bowl 30 downwardly. Itscross-sectional shape corresponds to that of the upper part of the base,here shown as square. The base 30 is provided with holding portions tohold the open edge of the carton 32. To this end, there are a pluralityof upstanding pins 108 spaced inwardly from the front wall 48 of thebase 30, and upstanding from the generally pyramidal surface 54.Similiarly, there are a plurality of such pins 109 spaced inwardly fromthe wall 49 and rising from the sloping surface 55. In like manner,there are a plurality of such pins 110 ad'- jacent the back wall 50 andrising from the back sloping wall 56, save for the center pin separatelyindicated at 111 which rises from a trapezoidal lug portion 112 thatextends outwardly from the back wall 50. There are pins 113 that arespaced from the side wall 51 and that arise from the sloping surface 57similarly to the pins 109.

The open end of the carton 32 fits down into the square section of thebase 30, it being sized just to fit against the side walls 48-51 and tobe contained between such side walls and the adjacent pins 108111 and113. The push-out plug 102 is shaped to provide an opening to engageover the trapezoidal plug 112, by which means the proper disposition ofthe carton is assured with the window 96 out to the front. The servicepersonnel can observe whether the supply of material in the carton islow enough to require replenishment by observing through the window 96.

On the opposite sides 49 and 51 of the square portion of the base, thereare provided lock screws 120 and 121.

'These are shown in Figure 5 and one appears in detail in Figure 17.Where the base is made of plastic material, these screws may passthrough sleeve-like metal inserts as indicated in Figure 5. As shown inFigure 6, the lock screw 120 is disposed adjacent and between the twomiddle pins 109 that lie alongside the portion 49; and the screw 121 issimilarly located with respect to the pins 113. These two screws arepointed so that they can penetrate the walls of the carton, and by beingdisposed between two closely spaced pins they are backed up by suchpins. They may be tightened down by a characterized key, such as thatshown at 122 in Figure 18, so that they cannot be removed byunauthorzied persons.

Use and operation In initially installing a dispenser of this kind, theplate 33 or other similar means is fastened in place to hold the disc35. The carton of material to be dispensed is inverted from the positionshown in Figure 19-22, whereupon the knockout plug 102 may be depressedby the thumb or finger, which enables the thumb to lift off the lid ofthe box by virtue of the scoring 101. With the full box open end up, thebowl 30 is inverted with the screws 120 and 121 released. The base 30 isinstalled on the top of the box. In this operation, the squared upperportion of the dispenser bowl fits down over the top of the box orcarton 32 and the edges fit between the walls 4851 and the respectivesets of pins 109, 110 and 111, and 113. The taper on these pins aid insecuring a tight fit. As previously noted, the plug 102 is of acharacterized shape so that the space left when it is removed will fitaccurately over the offset portion 112 in the back side of the dispenserbase. This arrangement requires the proper location of the carton on thebowl, so that the window 96 is disposed at the front. Also, thediverging end walls of the trapezoidal plug 112 tend to spread thecarton edges to aid in avoiding collapse of the carton in use. The pins110 that fiank the plug 112 secure the adjacent edge portions of thecarton. The pin and plug construction, in general effect, provides agroove for receiving the edges of the carton, but has advantages over acontinuous groove. It is easier to operate, it cannot clog, and itaccommodates irregularities in the shape of the carton.

When the dispenser base 30 is properly positioned over the top of thecarton, the screws 120 and 121 are tightened, so that they penetratethat portion of the edges of the carton between the adjacent pairs ofpins 109 and 113, respectively.

Then the handle finger portion 90 is moved to one or the other ends ofthe slot 87, which represents extremes of its movement. As will appear,this closes the metering device.

With the setscrew 40 of the bracket withdrawn, the dispenser may bemounted upon the undercut disc 35. In this action, the correspondinglyundercut lugs 39 are hooked over an edge of the disc 35, by passing themthrough a notch 36, while the setscrew may enter a notch 37. Then thebracket is rocked to upright position and locked in place, by tighteningthe lock screw 40 in its notch 38, so as to hold the dispenser firmly inits upright position. The dispenser is then ready for use.

When it is necessary to replace the carton 32 or to refill the same inthe event it is not a disposable carton, it is not required that thedispenser be entirely reremoved from the disc 35. If the screw 40 iswithdrawn slightly, the dispenser may be rotated on the disc 35 to aninverted position, whereupon the carton 32 may be removed and a newcarton installed. Following this, the dispenser may be reverted and thescrew 40 tightened down to hold it in place. The notch 38 in the bottomof the disc serves both as a locating means to insure a properly uprightposition of the dispenser and also to prevent twisting of the dispenserwhen the setscrew 40 is tightened.

When the dispenser is installed for use and supplied with the materialto be dispensed as aforesaid, the material will descend by gravity sothat it will enter the base 30 and rest upon the upper surface of theagitating plate 71. The dome-like center of this plate tends to causethe material to flow to the edges where it can enter the several holes78. However, in the extreme positions of the finger piece 90, nodischarge can occur.

Figures 4, 14, 15 and 16 indicate the operations of the metering devicewith the handle in a neutral position with respect to the slot 87. Insuch position, the holes 78 can fill with the material to be dispensed.However, they are located over solid portions of the metering plate 63of Figure 16. If the handle 90 is moved clockwise in Figure 4, the holes78 will then be brought into registration with the holes 70 on the fixedmetering disc at the time the handle 90 reaches an end of the slot 87.However, at this same time, the guard disc 82 will have moved with theagitating plate 76 so that its notches 84 are no longer in register withthe holes 70 of the fixed metering plate.

The eifect of the foregoing is that the material initially containedwithin the holes 78 will be deposited in the holes 70 to fill thoseholes at the time the handle 90 is moved to one limit of its strike. Ofcourse, the holes 78 in the agitating plate will remain filled frommaterial in the dispenser. When the handle is then movedcounterclockwise in the slot 87 to the other extreme of its movement,the holes 70 in the fixed metering plate will be closed from above bythe agitating plate 76, but at the middle of the stroke of the handlethe notches 84 will register with the holes '70 to permit the materialfrom the holes 70 to fall downwardly and through the outlet 46 at thebottom of the dispenser base. When the limit of the counterclockwisestroke is reached, the holes 78 in the agitating plate will recharge theholes 70 in the metering plate, so that another stroke in the oppositedirection will cause another discharge.

By this arrangement, there is a metered discharge on each stroke of thehandle 90 in each direction. It must also be noted that water or vaporor steam that might enter through the discharge opening 46 cannot passthrough the metering plates 82, 63 and 71, and the material in the bowl30 above the agitating plate 71 will always remain dry.

In this action aforesaid, the agitating plate 76 moves the mass ofmaterial above it to break up any agglomeration of the material, andinsure a flow thereof down over the top of the plate for each discharge.

It is readily apparent that the operating parts of the metering devicecan be installed in this dispenser very readily. As previously noted,the three plates in properly superposed order can be placed in thebottom of the dispenser base 30, and the handle 85 installed from belowwith the lock nuts as indicated. This will hold the meter- '7 ing partsall together; and theymay be secured to the dispenser by theinstallation of the screws '65 that enter the lugs 64 that radiate.fromthe fixed metering plate .63.

In a dispenser of the kind in which the reservoir for material is to .bebodily .changed to effect a refill and the old reservoir is thendiscarded, it is highly important that the minimum amount of material tobe dispensed remain in the dispenser after the same has .become, forpractical purposes, empty. It is inevitable that a certain amount ofmaterial, such as powdered soap, will adhere to the walls and otherparts of the dispenser, so as not to be discharged by the meteringdevice, but this must be minirnized.

The present dispenser has been designed, not only to reduce the amountof undischarged material to a minimum, but also to accomplish this andat the same time to transfer the material from a square carton to anoscillating discharging device.

A consideration of the drawings will show that the interior walls of thebase are carefully designed. In the first place, the carton 32 fits downinto the base 30 in a manner such that there is substantially no ledgeimmediately belowthe bottom edges of the carton. Then the use of theseveral pins 108, 109, 110, 111 and 113 minimizes the lodging ofmaterial against the backing-up means for the lower edge of the carton.In other words, it is necessary that there be some means to engage thelower edge of the carton 32 opposite to the upstanding walls of thebase; but such means may provide a trap back of which the material to bedispensed may be lodged in such wise that it will not reach thedischarge portions of the dispenser. The relatively narrow pin-likemembers of circular cross section minimize this tendency. The alignmentelement 112 is given a thickness that more or less corresponds to thethickness of the walls of the con-, tainer 32 so that it does not affordmuch of a ledge above which the material might be retained. Yet, at thesame time, it is adequate to secure the proper alignment and fit of thecarton.

Another factor that is carefully worked out in the present case is thegentle downward slanting of the interior wall of the dispenser base 30from the square section into which the carton fits to the circularsection in which the metering elements fit. This slanting isaccomplished without there being any serious reentrants nor sharp edgesthat might cause a packing or bridging over of the material. Theslanting portion extends up to the bottom of the carton so that there isno likelihood that the material will pack into the corners of the squaresection.

The metering elements themselves have been designed to aid in securingdischarge of all of the material. The pyramidal section of the member 71causes the material resting upon it to move toward the periphery. Thepresence of discharge openings '788470 all around the periphery of themetering elements assures that the material can be discharged if it getsto the lower part of the lofted portion of the dispenser base. It doesnot have to travel around the metering parts to a single dischargeopening.

The carton itself is designed also to minimize the waste of material.Since the entire bottom of the carton is removed to open it, leavingonly vertical edges, there are no elements in the carton itself thatwill retain material and prevent it from being discharged. Of course,such type of carton, especially where it is made of cardboard or likematerial, can be used only in a dispenser base of the present type whichhas backing up means such as the pins 108, etc., to support its edge.

All of the foregoing elements cooperate to minimize the waste ofmaterial. It will be understood that this is important because, when thedispenser is to be refilled, the screw 44} is loosened adequately sothat the base can be rotatedaround and inverted, and the carton 32removed. When the carton 32 is thus reverted in this type 8 ofdispenser, any material that has not been discharged will fall into thecarton 32 and will be thrown away and lost with the discarding of theold and otherwise empty carton. The new carton inserted into place, ofcourse, is substituted for the old carton. By ensuring full discharge ofthe contents .of the carton during operation this waste isprevented.

Whatis claimed 'is:

1. In a dispenser, a hollow base having an upper opening and a loweropening thereinto, discharging means between the openings having amember movable to provide conduction of material from the upper part ofthe hollow base to the lower part for passage through the lower opening,and wall holding means in the upper part of the base, comprising backingmeans inside thewall of the upper opening and spaced therefrom, forreceiving the edges of a material reservoir and to contain the saidedges between said backing means and the wall of the opening, at least aportion of said wall of the opening being of a downwardly taperingconfiguration adjacent the backing means and said backing meanscomprising a plurality of upwardly projecting elements extending fromthe inside of the base alongside the inner wall of the base adjacent theupper opening therein.

2. in a dispenser, a hollow base having an upper opening and a loweropening thereinto, discharging means between the openings having amember movable to provide conduction of material from the upper part ofthe hollow base to the lower part for passage through the lower opening,and wall holding means in the upper part of the base, comprising backingmeans inside the wall of the upper opening and spaced therefrom with atleast a portion of said wall of the upper opening being of a downwardlytapering configuration adjacent said backing means, for receiving theedges of a material reservoir and to contain the said edges between saidbacking means and the wall of the opening, and a characterized elementin the base projecting into the space between the wall and the backingmean-s andcooperable with the shape of the edge of the reservoir toinsure proper disposition of the reservoir on the base, and a containermounted on the base having its bottom end open and its bottom edge wallsprovided with a recess for interfitting with the characterized elementon the base.

3. In a dispenser, a hollow base having an upper opening and a loweropening thereinto, discharging means between the openings having amember movable to provide conduction of material from the upper part ofthe hollow base to the lower part for passage through the loweropenings, and wall holding means in the upper part of the base,comprising backing means inside the wall of the upper opening and spacedtherefrom with at least a portion of said wall of the upper openingbeing of a downwardly tapering configuration adjacent said backingmeans, forreceiving the edges of a material reservoir and to contain thesaid edges between said backing means and the wall of the opening, thedischarging means having means to prevent discharge of material throughthe base during reverting of the dispenser, having peripheral pascagesfor discharge of the material adjacent the lowermost portion of thedownwardly tapering wall of the upper opening, the movable member beingadapted to control said passages, and having means to direct thematerial toward the peripheral passages.

4. In a dispenser of the kind described, a base having an upper portionwith upper walls forming a polygonal sleeve-like recess; middle wallsdisposed beneath the upper walls on said upper portion and shaped toprovide a circular opening, the middle walls converging downwardly fromthe polygonal recess into the shape of the circular opening; and thelower walls converging from below the circular opening into a dischargeopening at the bottom, and a mounting bracket portion extendinglaterally from the .base, with its outer part recessed for fitting overan attachment member adapted to be affixed to a wall, said recess havingintegral overhanging prongs at one side, a movable attaching member atthe opposite side, and stabilizing mean-s intermediate the prongs andmovable member,

5. In a dispenser for finely divided material: a base having an upperportion to receive an inverted rectangular carton or the like, the baseproviding walls around the opening to afiord a rectangular sleeve-likereceptacle for an open end of such a carton, and having backing meansspaced from such walls to fit into the open end of the carton and tosupport the walls against collapse; an arcuately movable dischargemechanism in the base below said rectangular portion; having dischargeopenings all around its periphery, the interior walls of the basebetween the rectangular portion and the discharge mechanism beingslanted from the rectangular shape opposite a bottom portion of saidbacking means to a circular shape down to adjacent said dischargeopenings without reentrants to trap material and prevent its readydescent; and manually operatable means to actuate the dischargemechanism.

6. In a dispenser for finely divided material: a base having an upperportion to receive an inverted rectangular carton or the like, the baseproviding walls around the opening to afiord a rectangular sleeve-likereceptacle for an open end of such a carton, and having backing meansspaced from such walls to fit into the open end of the carton and tosupport the walls against collapse; an arcuately movable dischargemechanism in the base below said rectangular portion; having dischargeopenings all around its periphery, the interior walls of the base beweenthe rectangular portion and the discharge mechanism being slanted fromthe rectangular shape opposite a bottom portion of said backing means toa circular shape down to adjacent said discharge openings withoutreentrants to trap material and prevent its ready descent; and manuallyoperatable means to actuate the discharge mechanism; releasable means onthe base to clamp the carton thereto; a support for the base including asupporting bracket unitary with the base, a fixable element onto whichthe bracket is mounted for rotation, whereby the base may be invertedfor replacement of a carton, and means to secure the bracket and fixableelement against rotation.

7. In a dispenser for finely divided material: a base having an upperportion to receive an inverted rectangular carton or the like, the baseproviding walls around the opening to afford a rectangular sleeve-likereceptacle for an open end of such a carton, and having backing meansspaced from such walls to fit into the open end of the carton and tosupport the walls against collapse, said backing means comprising aplurality of upstanding projections; an arcuately movable dischargemechanism in the base below said rectangular portion; having dischargeopenings all around its periphery, the interior walls of the basebetween the rectangular portion and the discharge mechanism beingslanted from the rectangular shape opposite a bottom portion of saidbacking means to a circular shape down to adjacent said dischargeopenings without reentrants to trap material and prevent its readydescent; and manually operatable means to actuate the dischargemechanism; and a rectangular carton as aforesaid, the carton having oneend entirely open so that it presents substantially only vertical wallsinterfitted into the sleeve-like receptacle, and the slanting of thebase below the rectangular sleeve-like receptacle and the bottom edge ofthe carton providing substantially continuously downwardly extendingsurfaces without edges.

8. In a dispenser: a base having material discharge mechanism therein,and an opening in the top thereof; a separable material reservoir,having an open end and being inverted with its open end downwardly andinterfitted with the opening in the top of the base so that material maydescend by gravity from the reservoir to the base for discharge; abracket on the base for fixing the base to a wall or like support, afixable element attachable to the wall, and having a rotatable fit withthe bracket, and releasable means holding the fixable element and thebracket against rotation; said arrangement providing for selectiveinversion of the base for removal and refitting of the reservoir withthe open end of the reservoir up, the fixable element and bracket havingrounded undercut and overhanging elements by which such parts areattached together and are relatively rotatable, said parts beingrecessed at points spaced from their respective positions when thedispenser is vertical, whereby they may be separated and the dispenserentirely removed from the wall or like support.

9. In a dispenser: a base having material discharge mechanism therein,and an opening in the top thereof; a separable material reservoir,having an open end and being inverted with its open end downwardly andinterfitted with the opening in the top of the base so that material maydescend by gravity from the reservoir to the base for discharge; abracket on the base for fixing the base to a wall or like support, afixable element attachable to the wall, and having a rotatable fit withthe bracket, and releasable means holding the fixable element and thebracket against rotation; said arrangement providing for selectiveinversion of the base for removal and refitting of the reservoir withthe open end of the reservoir up, the fixable element and bracket havingrounded undercut and overhanging elements by which such parts areattached together and are relatively rotatable, said parts beingrecessed at points spaced from their respective positions when thedispenser is vertical, whereby they may be separated and the dispenserentirely removed from the wall or like support, the bracket having areenforcing element therein, with two opposite arms one of which has anoverhangv on it to provide the overhanging element aforesaid, theopposite arm having a projectable and withdrawable overhanging elementconstituting the releasable means aforesaid, and the bracket having twooppositely extending intermediate arms to provide lateral stability.

10. In a dispenser: a base having material discharge mechanism therein,and an opening in the top thereof; a separable material reservoir,having an open end and being inverted with its open end downwardly andinterfitted with the opening in the top of the base so that material maydescend by gravity from the reservoir to the base for discharge;attachment means on the base for fixing the base to a vertical wall orlike support, including a bracket means, and a flexible elementattachable to the wall, means attaching the bracket means and fixableelement together for relative rotation through substantially withoutchanging the distance of the base from the fixable element, meansholding the bracket means and the fixable element together so that theydo not come apart but may rotate in a plane parallel to the attachingwall from an upright position of the base to an inverted positionthereof, and releasable means releasably holding the fixable element andthe bracket means against rotation; said arrangement providing forselective inversion of the base for removal and refitting of thereservoir with the open end of the reservoir up.

11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the attachment means may bereleased only when the base is in a predetermined position of itsrotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS553,752 Golf Jan. 28, 1896 928,052 Hirsch July 13, 1909 1,128,323Johnstone Feb. 16, 1915 1,341,652 Lawrence June 1, 1920..

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